Yemen launches security campaign to curb weapons carrying in Hadhramaut

HADHRAMAUT, Yemen / ISTANBUL

Yemeni authorities launched a military and security campaign on Wednesday to ban the carrying of weapons in Hadhramaut as part of efforts to bolster security and stability in the eastern province, local officials said.

The Hadhramaut local authority said in a statement posted on US social media company Facebook that the campaign seeks to strengthen security, preserve public order and prohibit the carrying of weapons in public spaces as well as government and private facilities.

Firearms will be limited to military and security institutions and only under official permits in accordance with the law, the statement said.

Hadhramaut Governor Salem Ahmed al-Khanbashi hailed the campaign’s results on its first day and urged residents and relevant parties to cooperate responsibly with security forces.

“Such cooperation would help combat organized crime and reinforce security and stability,” he added.

“The measures reflect the local authority’s commitment to consolidating security, protecting lives and property, and creating a stable environment that supports development and public services,” the governor said.

The campaign follows remarks made days earlier by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who said that the successful handover of military camps in Hadhramaut and neighboring al-Mahra province would ensure weapons remain under state control and pave the way for state institutions to resume normal operations inside Yemen.

The move comes amid recent shifts in southern Yemen.

On Friday, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) dissolved itself after failing to consolidate control over southern provinces in a bid to separate them from the north.

The STC had captured Hadhramaut and Mahra last month, but government forces managed to regain control of them after clashes with the council forces.

The STC has long pushed for the secession of southern Yemen, arguing that successive governments have marginalized the region politically and economically. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and insist on preserving the country’s territorial unity.

North and South Yemen were unified on May 22, 1990, forming the Republic of Yemen.